The Postal Service has released its 2024 Holiday Ethics Guide to help employees comply with federal regulations involving giving and receiving gifts.
Here are some general guidelines:
• Gifts from outside sources. Employees may not accept a gift from an outside source.
However, an employee may accept an unsolicited, noncash gift valued at $20 or less, but the total value of gifts received from the same source may not exceed $50 per calendar year.
Employees may not accept cash or cash equivalents, such as MasterCard, American Express or Visa gift cards.
An employee also may accept a gift if it is given because of a family relationship or personal friendship — not because of the employee’s USPS position.
Additionally, an employee may accept a gift if it is offered because of the employee’s outside (non-USPS) business or employment.
• Gifts between employees. Generally, employees may not accept a gift from a subordinate or a lesser-paid employee.
For regularly occurring occasions, such as holidays, an employee may only give a superior or higher-paid employee a non-cash gift valued at $10 or less.
Group gifts are permitted for certain special, infrequent occasions of personal significance, but not for regularly occurring events.
“Secret Santa” or “white elephant” gift exchanges are allowed, but participation must be voluntary and the noncash gifts must cost $10 or less.
Office parties are permissible if employee participation and contributions are completely voluntary.
Employees who have questions should email the USPS Ethics Office.
